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Thursday, 23 April 2009

And after 7 weeks in intensive care ...?

I am so happyI’m utterly relievedI’m stunned and amazedI’m going to stop going on because 4,000 variations are rarely needed - even though, this time, they might be warranted:

My friend – proof-reader extraordinaire – has been in intensive care for seven weeks …seven depressing weeks, with few glimmers of hope.

Viral hydro-encephalitis.

Three weeks ago doctors tried a different type of anti-biotic. They warned that this was not a ‘quick fix’, and that the affects wouldn’t be seen for 2 to 3 weeks:

Week 1We waited …

Week 2We waited … and the best news we had was that she was ranting about her father – and, although this could be seen as an improvement, as she was stringing words together, it was not exactly the most hopeful news.

Week 3We heard that her Mum had seen improvements - but you know what Mums are like.

When the staff said that they were going to allow the first two friends in to see her for nearly 6 weeks, we knew that there really must have been an improvement.

The phone hasn’t stopped ringing and the e-mails are flying:

She sat up and began with: ‘Pull up a chair’

She joked about going away for a 'Girls' Weekend' now that her husband couldn’t pull the ‘I don’t think I could cope’ line

Wanted to know who had chosen the pink pjs – a redhead with an aversion for pink

Named every child on the photo-card sent in by her class

Asked about birthdays she knew had passed

Remembered and joked about the themed party that is coming soon

Weak – true

Speech – a little slow

Won’t be released from hospital for another month.

The doctors don't know if it was the anti-biotics or if the virus had just worked its way through but, frankly, I don't give a damn!

1 comment:

I am so glad that Jen is coming through her ordeal. I emailed Mark the other week, asking how she was, but I'm guessing that he's up to his neck in stuff at the minute, and has not had time to look at emails.Great (no, fabulous) news

LIVING, LEARNING AND WRITING I aim to post on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Elaine AM Smith

Elaine writes for children and teens, she is a primary school teacher who spends her time imagining “What would happen if…”. She, and her family, live in Hertfordshire. An expert multi-tasker she finds you can do anything – walking, yoga – and combine it with reading – or writing – a book.

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